Sports

Early hole proves to be too deep

Spokane, Wash. — The Milwaukee Iron spent the majority of the National Conference championship game chasing Spokane.

And it never quite caught up.

Milwaukee slipped into an early 16-point hole, in part because of a safety, and couldn't escape, falling to the Spokane Shock, 60-57, in front of 8,151 fans Thursday night at the Spokane Arena.

The second-seeded Iron finished the Arena Football League season 12-6. No. 1 Spokane (15-3) will host the winner of Saturday's Tampa Bay-Orlando game in the ArenaBowl next Friday.

"We turned the ball over early and we couldn't get going," Milwaukee coach Bob Landsee said. "It killed us. These simple mistakes, we talk about them all the time. If you make mistakes, you're not going to win."

There weren't many mistakes made on either side. Each team committed one turnover and each settled for a field goal. Other than that, each offense found the end zone. The biggest turning point was the early safety.

"They're a team you can't stop; it's a team you try to manage," Shock coach Rob Keefe said. "The fact we were able to manage them as best we could, give credit to everyone involved."

There were a couple of ominous signs early for the Iron. On Milwaukee's first play from scrimmage, quarterback Chris Greisen was sacked by two Shock linemen and fumbled near the goal line. The ball bounced backward and hit the wall for a safety. The Iron allowed only one sack during the regular season.

Spokane took advantage, scoring on its next series as receiver Huey Whittaker carried two Iron defenders the final 2 yards to cap a 12-yard play that hiked the Shock lead to 23-7 late in the first quarter.

"The sack and safety was huge because they got (two) points and a possession," said Greisen, who sat out most of practice this week after hurting his back a couple weeks ago. "It's about scoring and getting stops."

Milwaukee tried to answer, but its ensuing drive stalled at the Spokane 10. Robert Forstrom's 25-yard field goal narrowed the deficit to 13.

Milwaukee went nearly 25 minutes before scoring its first offense-generated touchdown. Antoine Burns' 56-yard kick return accounted for Milwaukee's first touchdown and tied the score at 7. The Iron didn't reach the end zone again until Greisen hit Damian Harrell for a 6-yard touchdown, closing Spokane's lead to 29-17.

But the Iron couldn't slow down Spokane's offense. The Shock scored on all six first-half possessions and had a 39-23 lead at the break.

The Iron nearly made up the deficit in the first 7 minutes of the third quarter. Greisen directed a 45-yard scoring drive, capped by Tyre Young's 1-yard plunge. Milwaukee was back in business two plays later when Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley fumbled a snap and the Iron took over at Spokane's 4.

Greisen connected with Richard Ranglin on a 4-yard screen pass and Milwaukee pulled within 39-37.